Rebecca Michelle Sullivan

1977 ~ 2018

"…But a child that's borne on the Sabbath day, is fair and wise and good and gay."

REBECCA MICHELLE SULLIVAN entered this world on the glorious Sunday evening of January 23rd, 1977, at the Cottonwood Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, born to parents Kelly and Kathy Sullivan, and grandparents Harold and Bonnie Sullivan and Bill and Marcille Topham. She died early Sunday morning, October 21, 2018, on the trauma surgery unit at the University of Utah Hospital. Rebecca grew up amidst the love and support of her parents and siblings Rachel (children Xan, Aja, Anthony and deceased infant daughter Elliott Jai), Andrew (wife Eldina and daughter Leyla), Nicholas, Christina (fiancé Daniel and son Parker) and Anna. Bec was an early reader, writer, and music performer, loving school from the first day and rarely being absent. She attended Whittier Elementary, Lowell Elementary (in the E.Q.U.I.P/ELP program) and the Internationals Baccalaureate Program at West High School, graduating with full IB and Honors diplomas. She received a full scholarship to attend Stanford University, graduating in 1999 with a degree in languages, including studying in Paris, France her junior year. She returned to teach English in Pau, France after graduating from Stanford. During holiday travels there, Bec met Emily Wlliams with whom she began collaborating musically. The girls accompanied themselves on the CDs they produced, naming their band "Ember," and writing and performing both original songs and traditional folk music of the British Isles. During their 18-year friendship, "Ember" produced 6 CDs, playing a variety of instruments and working with many other excellent musicians in Wales, U.K. Rebecca can be heard singing beautifully and playing guitar, harmonica, clarinet, and various rhythm instruments on the "Ember" CDs. While living in Wales, Bec met Paul Allen, and spent many days that turned into years traveling, gardening, playing music, and later working with Paul at the Center for Alternative Technology in Mchynlleth, Wales. During her final 2 years in Wales, Rebecca was in the Welsh teacher training program, becoming certified to teach French in Welsh public schools. However, missing her parents and siblings, Rebecca decided to return home in the fall of 2017. Bec taught French at West High school during the 2017-2018 school year and began the process of converting her Welsh teaching certification to a Utah Educator's license. She had also begun a certified yoga instructor program, a training class of which she attended on the last full day of her life. Rebecca was known among friends and family for her spiritual beauty, sweet disposition and fun sense of humor. Bec not only made countless friends worldwide, she kept and nurtured these friendships, placing great importance on touching base with those she loved throughout every chapter of her life. Bec's family and friends are stunned, confused, and heartbroken over her sudden death, trying to make sense of the violence perpetrated against her. Rebecca is preceded in death by her grandparents Harold and Bonnie Sullivan, Grandfather Bill Topham, aunt Claudia Topham, and infant niece Elliot Jai Sullivan Alston. She is survived by parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, and Grandmother Marcille Topham, as well as many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

The Sullivan family wishes to thank the team that cared for Rebecca on the University of Utah Hospital Surgical Trauma Unit, all of whom offered beyond-heroic efforts to save her life after she was brought in through Emergency.

Visitation and funeral services will be held Sat., October 27th, at Larkin Mortuary, 260 East South Temple, with visitation beginning at 11:00 a.m. and funeral services at 1:00 p.m. Burial services held at the Salt Lake City Cemetery following the funeral.